[suthener]

I am retired Navy. I thought that service connected problems was what the VA did. Just in the last couple of years did I learn that they will care for any veteran who is basically indigent. There is no way congress is going to allocate enough money to really do this, and probably the more efficient the VA is the more patients they will have.

[donozark]

There are approx. 7 “Priority Groups” with VA medical care. Sliding scale so to speak. PG-1 is of course totally disabled vets. Next group 50%-100% (close approximation) and so on down the line. Even those vets with full health ins. coverage can obtain VA care as ins. cos. will reimburse VA.

[oh8eleven]

Just in the last couple of years did I learn that they will care for any veteran who is basically indigent.
Depending on their level of income and net worth (and other variables) the VA classifies all vets (who apply) into one of 8 categories .
The benefits a vet is illegible for depends on what category he/she falls into.